Less than a day after the Providence City Council approved a controversial rent control plan, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley slammed the brakes — vetoing the measure Friday in a sharp rebuke of a policy he says is doomed to fail.
In a letter to councilors, Smiley made it clear: rent control isn’t the answer.
“Rent control does not meet the standard” of a solution “proven to work and built to last,” he wrote, warning the policy could actually make things worse.
And he’s not alone. Economists and real-world examples have repeatedly shown rent control backfires — shrinking housing supply, discouraging new construction, and ultimately driving prices higher.
“Policies of this kind do not lower rents and often lead to higher costs and diminishing housing stock,” Smiley said, adding that Providence’s version could also shift the tax burden onto single-family homeowners while exempting roughly half of rental units.
The ordinance — which passed 9-6 — would cap rent hikes at 4% annually and create a powerful five-member rent board. But Smiley blasted the plan as half-baked, citing a lack of financial analysis, unclear enforcement, and no concrete implementation structure.
“Proceeding without that information exposes Providence to significant risk,” he warned.
The veto sets up a high-stakes showdown. The council needs 10 votes to override — and right now, supporters are one short.
Backers, including Council President Rachel Miller, argue the measure is urgently needed as rents soar. Critics fired back, with some accusing Smiley of siding with landlords over struggling tenants.
But the mayor insists the city should focus on solutions that actually work — not policies with a long track record of failure.
Instead, Smiley is pushing a $1 million rental assistance fund offering grants up to $3,000, along with funding for eviction defense and housing support programs.
The clock is now ticking: the council has 30 days to attempt an override. If they fall short of the required 10 votes, the rent control plan is dead.
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